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H. EWING.

SPRING CONTROLLED-VEHICLE WHEEL LINK,

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 8.1917.

1,3 1 6,565 Patented Sept. 23, E919.

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' the United States No. 951,000, granted to HUG-H EWING, 0B OGLUIEB'US, omo.

SPRING-CONTROLLED VEHICLE-WHEEL LINK.

zen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Columbus, county of Franklin, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Controlled Vehicle-Wheel Links, of which the following is 'a specification.

This invention is an improvement upon the invention set forth in Letters Patent of me March 1, 1910, wherein a supporting link is interposed between the wheel-axle and the body of the vehicle, and the link is pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle and normally maintained by a main spring in a vertical position.

A specific object of this invention is to provide a stop for limiting the deflection of the link from the vertical at substantially forty-five degrees and to bringinto action an angular limit buffer spring when the link nearly'reaches this angle. a

A further object is to secure maximum sensitiveness in the action of the link by providing a balance spring opposing the main spring when the link is deflected and balancing the force of the main spring when the link is in a vertical position, and by making the line of action of these springs on the level of the wheel-axle.

A further object is to so locate these springs that the wheel may 'be placed close to the line of the steering knuckle whereby steering will be easier and leverage tending to wrench or break the parts will be lessened.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings which forms a part of this application-- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the invention appliedto the front wheel of an automobile; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism operating to an obstruction.

An axletree 4 has a steering knuckle -5 hinged thereto as is usual in automobile construction. But the knuckle instead of directly carrying the wheel-axleis extended above the upper pivot of the axletree and a end of this link carries an axle 9 on which the running wheel turns. .This'axle is sub-- permit the .wheel to pass over I Specification of Letters Eatent. Patented Sgpy'g, 23, 1%19 Application filed November a, 1917. Serial no. 200,892.

stantially parallel with the trunnion, and the over the axis of the running wheel axis. To the rear of the steering knuckle is a forked eye 10 preferably on a level with the wheel axle in which the end of a rod 11 is pivoted. This rod slides through a spring-head 12 which 1s pivoted in a fork 13 carried by the supporting links adjustable springhead 14 screws on the end of the rod Between the two heads is a main spring 15 which opposes the rearward movement of the link thro hout its angular movement. A balance spring 16 lies between the head 12- in the link-fork 13 and the steering knuckle. This spring opposes the main spring and renders the action more sensiforty-five degrees is prevented by a stop pin 17 which projects from the knuckle. A rearward limiting buffer spring 18 is a strap sprlng one end of which is bolted to the upper end of the link and the other end of which bears against the lower part of the l1nk. The stop pin comes in contact with the middle of the strap spring just before the link reaches the limit of rearward movement. 7 1

When, in moving forward rapidly the wheel strikes an obstruction, as a stone, that wheel is'stopped' momentarily in its. forward movement, but, by reason of the swinging link connection, the vehicle-body continu'es forward unchecked while the wheel displaces with respect to the body first rearwardly and horizontally and then, following a curved path, rises and passes over the obstruction. This action is opposed'by the main spring; but this is minimized by the balance spring which balances the main spring, keeps it in equilibrium, and thus renders its action more uniform and sensitive. As the link nears the limit of its rearward movement the stiff rearward limiting bufier spring is brought into contact with the stop pin and checks the rearward swing of the link so that it will not strike a blow. Be ing a very stiff spring, it cooperates with axis of the trunnion is normally'substantially the main spring to promptly start the link it has swung back in passing over an obstruction.

The forty-five degree stop. In previous constructions the link was allowed to go'back ninety degrees, to a hori- The bald/n00 spring.

In previous constructions a buffer spring was 'used whose sole object was to prevent forcible impact on the return to the vertical position. The balance spring is much longer and stronger than the buffer sprlng of previous constructions, and it is capable not merely of checking the rebound but also of following up and balancing the main spring, keeping 1t in equilibrium, and thus rendering its action much more sens1t1veto small obstructions.

What I claim, is

1. In a vehicle, the combination of a wheel-axle, a body, a supporting link for the body carried upon the wheel-axle sa1d link being pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle, a main spring for normally maintaining the link in its vertical position, and a stop for limiting the rearward swing of the link to substantially iorty-five degrees, substantiall as described.

2. In a vehicle t e combination of awheelaxle, a body, a supporting link for the body carried upon the wheel-axle said link being pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle, a main spring for normally maintainin the link in its vertical position, a stop for limiting the rearward swing of the link, and a rearward limitin buffer spring which is interposed between t e link and the stop just before the link reaches the rearward limit-of its movement, substantially as described.

3. In a vehicle the combination of a wheelaxle, a body, a supporting link for the body carried upon the wheel-axle said link being' pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle, a mam spring for normall maintaining the link in its vertical pos1- tion, a sto for limiting the rearward swing of the lin and a rearward limiting bufi'er spring which checks the rearward movement of the link at substantially forty-five degrees, substantially as described.

4. In a vehicle, the combination of a wheel-axle, a body, a supporting link for the body carried upon the wheel-axle said link belng pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle, a main spring for normally maintaining the link in its vertical osition, and a balance sprin opposed to t e main spring when the link is deflected and balancin the force of the main spring when the lin is in a vertical position, substantially as described.

' 5. In an automobile, the combination of a wheel-axle, a steering knuckle, a supporting link for the body carried upon the wheelaxle said link being pivoted substantially vertlcall over the wheel-axle, and a main spring or normally ,maintainin the link in its vertical position located irectly in the rear of the hlnge of the steering knuckle, substantially as described.

6. In an automobile, the combination of a wheel-axle, a steerin knuckle, a. supporting link for the bofy carried upon the wheel-axle said link being pivoted substantially vertically over the wheel-axle, and a mam spring for normally maintaining the link in its vertical position supported by a.

rod attached to the hinge of the steerlng knuckle, substantial] as described.

7. In an automobi e, the combination of a wheel-axle, a steering knuckle, a supporting link for the body carried upon the wheelaxle said link bein pivoted substantially vertically over the w eel-axle, a main spring for normally maintaining the link in its vertical position, and a balance spring 0 posed to the main sprin both of sa1d springs being located dlrect y in the rear of the hinge of the steering knuckle, substantially as described.

8. In an automobile, the combination of a wheel-axle, a steering knuckle, a supporting link for the body carried upon the wheelaxle said link bei I pivoted substantially vertically over the w eel-axle, a main spring for normall maintaining the link in its vertical posltion, and a balance spring opposed to the main s ring, both of said springs being located irectly in the rear of the hinge of the steering knuckle and with their line of action at the level of the wheel-- axle, substantially as described.

Signed at Columbus, Ohio, this 5th ba of November, 1917.

HUGH EWING. 

